U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla formally filed on Tuesday, Feb. 22, to run for a brand new time period in the US Senate, citing a private story and voice that he believes is required in Washington.
“As proud as I'm of the work that’s been completed within the first yr within the Senate, from the American Rescue Plan to the bi-partisan infrastructure bundle, there's much more work to do,” mentioned Padilla, 48, as he emerged Tuesday from submitting to run on the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s Workplace in Norwalk.
That work contains laws aiming to grapple with local weather change and with higher entry to well being care, notably within the wake of the pandemic, which has struck communities of coloration among the many hardest.
It's these communities that Padilla vowed to work for when Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Padilla to the seat when in December 2020 then U.S. Senator Kamala Harris was tapped as vice chairman, leaving two years remaining on her 6-year time period.
Padilla would turn into California’s first Latino to ever maintain a full-term seat within the U.S. Senate.
Padilla’s background because the son of Mexican immigrants who was raised in Pacoima solely to ascend via L.A. politics to state politics to the U.S. Senate, has underpinned a lot of his strategy. It is going to proceed to, he prompt on Tuesday.
“I believe I've an essential voice to carry to the U.S. Senate. A proud son of immigrants, rising up in a work-class neighborhood, graduated from public faculties…. and now one of many few in the US Senate to enact insurance policies,” he mentioned.
He mentioned such work and expertise has, amongst different issues, impacted voting rights reform and laws that has bolstered frontline important staff, whereas he continues to battle for immigrant reform that offers undocumented residents a path to citizenship.
A number of challengers have jumped in to problem Padilla, together with 5 Democrats and 4 Republicans. However they’ll be up in opposition to an incumbent that has already almost $8 million in contributions for Alex Padilla for Senate marketing campaign since 2021 with a bit of greater than $6 million money readily available, in accordance with the Federal Election Fee.
“If something, Republicans are going to have a tough time (working in opposition to him), particularly in the event that they don’t have a lot identify recognition,” mentioned Jaime Regalado, professor emeritus of political science at Cal State Los Angeles.
Furthermore, even when the GOP wins the bulk vote within the Senate within the midterm elections this yr, Regalado prompt that Padilla’s voice received’t wane. In truth, he mentioned, it'd even get stronger — a senator from probably the most influential states within the Union.
“Probability are, the GOP will take management of the Senate. And that locations Padilla in a minority place. However it’s nonetheless an influential place. I don’t suppose that modifications his tune,” Regalado mentioned.
For his half, Padilla wasn’t satisfied that Democrats don’t have a shot at preserving a majority vote within the Senate this yr.
“I believe between now and November, Democrats have a narrative to inform… I’m not satisfied that we’re going to lose a majority this November. I believe we've a great likelihood of holding, of not rising our majority,” he mentioned.
After all, there’s a lot to do — proper now.
On his thoughts Tuesday wasn’t simply potential re-election. It was battle, and the Supreme Court docket.
With battle imminent within the Ukraine, Padilla gave the Biden administration credit score for rallying European nations to “maintain (Russian President Vladimir Putin) accountable for any invasion of the unbiased nation. And a Supreme Court docket choose is on the horizon, a actuality that Padilla — as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee – is especially tuned into.
In January, Biden reiterated a marketing campaign pledge to exchange retiring Justice Stephen Breyer with the primary Black lady to serve on the Supreme Court docket. Padilla says he relished the chance to do exactly that.
“I’m desperate to play my half as a member of the Judiciary Committee in confirming the primary Black lady as a Supreme Court docket Justice,” he mentioned. “I can let you know as the primary Latino to symbolize California within the U.S. Senate, illustration issues.”